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Lyrics and Translations of the Yiddish songs

Ale vasserlech (original studio solo recording)

Ale vasserlech flisn avek,

di gribelech blaybn leydik.   

Nito aza mentsh oyf gor der velt,

vos zol farsteyn mayn veytik.

Di yorelech tsien, di yorelech flien,

di tsayt geyt avek vi roych,

un az ich dermon zich on dir, mayn zis lebn,

geyt mir oys der ko'ech.

Un aza meydele shpilt a libe, shpilt in ir alle farbn

un az zi shpilt ir libe nit oys,

ken zi cholile noch shtarbn.

Un az de tepelech trinkenen oys

blaybn zey ale leydik

un az a meydele firt ir libe nit oys

vert zi farfalln oyf eybik.

=====================

Amol is gevén a mayse (original studio solo recording)

Amol is gevén a mayse

Di mayse iz gor nisht freylich

Di mayse heybt zikh on

Mit a yidishn meylekh

Lyulinke mayn feygele

Lyulinke mayn kind

Kh'hob ongevorn aza libe

Wey iz mir un vint

Der meylekh hot gehat a malke

Di malke hot gehat a vayngortn

Im vayngorten hot gehat a beymele

Wey iz mir un vint

Der boym hat gehat a tsvayg

Der tsvayg hat gehat a nestele

In nestele iz gevén a feygele

Wey iz mir un vint

Der meylekh iz opgestorben

Di malke is gevorn fardorben

Der tsvayg iz opgebrochen

Di fegele vun nest antlofen

Vu nemt men aza chochem

Er zol kennen de shtern zeylen

Vu nemt men aza dokter

Er zol kennen mayn horts heylen?

=====================

A Meidel in de joren (original studio solo recording)

Ikh bin a meidel in de jóren

vos hosti mir in kop fardreit

Ikh volt shoin lang a kaleh gevoren

un efsher khasene gehot

Un efsher geit es dir in nadan

mayn mama veit farkoifen a shtib

Nu lomir beide khasene hoben

vayl ikh dikh hob take lib

Un efsher geit es dir in yikhes

mayn zeide iz gewesen a rov

Nu lomir beide khasene hoben

un zol shoin nemen a sof

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Oyfn Yam (original studio solo recording)

Oyfn yam ve'et a vintele ve'et a vintele

un di khvalyes shlogn un di khvalyes shlogn

Khob zikh farlibt in a sheen yingele

khob nit farvemen tzu zogn

Ikh hob zikh g'boyt a shtibele g'boyt a shtibele

arum un arum mit fenster arum un arum mit fenster

Fun d'ale kartinkes vos ikh hob g'senn

bist du bay mir der sheenster

Ale vasserlech

All the waters flow away

The little ditches remain dry

There is nobody on this whole earth

who can understand my pain

The years drag on, the years flee

Time goes away like smoke

and when I think of you, my sweet life

I lose my strength

And when a young girl plays at love

all the colours play in her

and if she doesn't play her love for real

she can - G*d forbid - still die.

And when the water jars run out

they all remain dry

and when a young girl doesn't play her love for real

she will pine away for ever.

=====================

Amol is gevén a mayse

There was a tale

not at all a happy tale

It starts with a Jewish king

Lullaby my lttle bird,

lullaby my child

I have lost my love

I am sad and sore hurt

The king had a queen

The queen had a vineyard

In the vineyard was a tree

I am sad and sore hurt

On the tree was a branch

On the branch was a little nest

In the nest was a little bird

I am sad and sore hurt

The king died

The queen pined away [or: was ruined]

The branch broke

The bird flew from the nest

Where can one find a learned man

who can count the stars

Where can one find a doctor

who can heal my heart?

=====================

A Meidel in de joren

I am an old maid already

and you've been fooling me

I've long wanted to be a bride

and get married

Maybe you're concerned about the dowry

My mother will sell a house

let us both marry

because I love you so much

Maybe you're concerned about pedigree

My grandfather was a rabbi

let us both marry

and let that be an end of it

=============

Oyfn Yam

On the sea the wind is blowing

and the waves are breaking

I'm in love with a handsome youth

But I'm too shy to say anything

I have build a little house

with windows all around

Of all the pictures I have seen

You are the most beautiful in my home.

Arrangements for alto and gutar

   Ale Vasserlech

    Amol is geven a mayse

   Ikh bin e meidel in de joren

   Oyfn Yam

Arrangements for mezzo soprano, flute, cello and guitar

   Ale Vasserlech

   Amol is geven a mayse

   Ikh bin e meidel in de joren

   Oyfn Yam

The alto and guitar arrangements of these songs were performed in February 2009 by

David W Solomons (alto) and Alessandro Balsimini (guitar) -

the videos (with words and translations) can be seen here

These quartet arrangements were written for the Cámara Klezmer Trío (in Chile) with their guest mezzo soprano. Performances coming soon....